WIDNHOEK – Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate Namibia recently hosted its 36th annual karate championship at the DTS sports hall.
The well-attended event produced a few surprises, with more than 130 students from the Windhoek and Walvis Bay clubs participating.
The unique rules whereby a participant must win both the kata (pre-arranged fighting sequences) and the irikumite (one minute of continuous fighting) again ensured that the best balanced karatekas walked away with the medals and trophies.
The championship opened with a mass kata demonstration, while self-defence demonstrations by the senior black belts against multiple attackers was one of the many highlights.
An Okinawan Kobudo Doushi Rensei Kai (traditional okinawan weapons) demonstration was presented.
A Namibian team was selected on the day to participate at the Africa Goju-Ryu Karate Federation Championships in South Africa in May, where the abilities of the Namibian team will be tested to the maximum.
The full results are as follow:
1. Best sport performance for children for the year – Girls: Kiora McClune
2. Best sport performance for children for the year – Boys: Sergio Duchaine
3. Best sport performance for adults for the year – Ladies: Shirleen de Wee
4. Best sport performance for adults for the year – Men: Jürgen van Wyk
5. Best sport performance for brown belts for the year – Girls: Riona Pillay
6. Best sport performance for brown belts for the year – Boys: Princeton Langendorf
7. Brown and junior black belts champions of the day – Girls: Ndapewa Nendongo
8. Brown and junior black belts champions of the day – Boys: Sandro Richter
9. Black belt champion of the day – Ladies: Shirleen de Wee
10. Black belt champion of the day – Men: Jürgen van Wyk